


The Internship

by KallenTheNightSwan



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Adult Foggy, Alpha!Matt, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, M/M, Omega!foggy, Teenage Matt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-06-09 23:05:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6927871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KallenTheNightSwan/pseuds/KallenTheNightSwan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt Murdock is 17 and in his senior year of high school when he quickly befriends an adult omega - lawyer named Foggy.</p><p>Foggy takes the young alpha under his wing, and he finds himself falling in love with the handsome, young duck.</p><p>Matt makes a promise to himself (and later to Foggy) that one day, that silly sign inside the office window will say 'Nelson and Murdock' and not just 'Nelson'.</p><p>Or maybe 'Murdock and Murdock', if Matt can ever convince the lovely omega to bond and marry him!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meeting

Matt tries to be cool when he orders his black coffee with one sugar, and confidently strides to his usual table in the corner of the shop by the front window. Dropping himself into the seat a little dramatically, he lets his backpack slide to the floor at his feet and slowly folds up his cane. 

 

He comes to the shop when he’s had a bad day, or when his senses are giving him a headache. Being surrounded by the overpowering aroma of organic coffee beans and teas helps to block out all other smells, and the bustle or silence of the shop helps him tune out the noise of the city during rush hour.

 

Matt glowers into the darkness, idly thinking that his covered eyes are probably glaring at the napkin holder or his wrist instead of the mug, and he probably looks silly but he couldn’t care less. He’s angry and frustrated, so much that he is fighting the urge to hit something or start crying.

 

High school was a waste of time, and he hated it. 

 

_ “At least I’m not in Catholic school anymore, thank God.” _

 

He aced all their tests and they didn’t want to get him a tutor, they figured it’d be easier to just send the bratty, troublesome blind kid out to a public school with better resources. Just like with everything else, the Church was thrilled to bestow their problem child onto other adults for eight hours a day.

 

The nuns in the orphanage definitely couldn’t wait until he turned eighteen, and they’d finally be rid of the blind and broken teenage alpha.

 

His chest hurts and he feels a little empty and a lot lonely as he hears jingle bells, Christmas plans and crunching snow outside. Stick had said connections and emotions and bonds were pointless and would make Matt weak.

  
He still wants them anyways. 

 

Unconsciously, his hands squeeze the paper cup of cooling coffee in his hands.

 

Christmas was in a few days, and school was out for three weeks. Three weeks of nothing better to do than remain cooped up in the church and the orphanage. Three weeks of nothing better to think of than returning to school, and choosing an internship program that’s supposed to help him decide on his future.

 

Matt’s high school ‘counselor’ wants him to decide what to do for his internship assignment before he comes back from break. She wants Matt to think about what he’d like to do after high school, what he’d want for a job.

 

He has no clue.

 

All Matt is sure of is that he’s going to college. Preferably Columbia. Anything after that, even what he wants to study, he’s not entirely sure. He just knows that his dad always believed he’d ‘make it into Columbia’. He kind of wishes his dad had a vision of his future career as well.

 

Matt had been so far in his head, that the new voices in the shop startles him when he ‘comes back online, making his coffee splash onto his hand. He’s prepared for the burn, but frowns when he senses the cooled beverage on his skin instead.

 

Bored and curious, Matt leans a back in his seat, stretching his gangly legs under the table, and tunes back into the sensory information he had been steadfastly blocking out for the past hour.

 

The first scent that stands out to him is a sweet, subtle smell of books and green apple.

 

He decides right away he likes that scent (which is rare, for him) – but it is tinged with... weariness?

 

As he focuses more on the his immediate surroundings, and the teenager quickly deduces that since he zoned out, the previous occupants had left, and the baristas had changed shifts (so, it was after six p.m., Matt concludes), and there were four new customers in the shop –

 

He takes a deep breath, inhaling slowly through his nose, trying not to open his mouth in case he’ll taste a scent he finds abhorrent.

 

One alpha, two betas, and an omega. The betas he doesn’t pay too much attention to. They have been a semi-regular couple that comes into the coffee shop pretty often when Matt’s there. The beta man is a banker, and his wife is a hairdresser; the pungent scent of hair products always clings to her like a cloud, but by the faintness of the scent, Matt can tell she did not work in the past two days (thank goodness, he usually take his coffee order to the park on days the perfume cloud is too cloying).

 

No, it’s the alpha and the omega that he is interested in, the omega in particular, for he seems to be the source of the pleasant aroma from earlier. 

 

The alpha is large, based on his heat signature, and his gruff voice grates unpleasantly on Matt’s ears. As he takes in another breath he feels himself tense all over. The other alpha was angry, and by the conversation and the scents they were giving off, Matt concludes he’s angry at the omega for bumping into him and making him drop his coffee.

 

He’s about to get up (and do  _ what _ , he doesn’t know – even if he wasn’t in high school he doubts he’d seem threatening to this large and rough of an alpha) when the commotion is quickly diffused by the omega. Matt sees the muscles loosen slightly in the other alpha’s heat signature as they cool from being constricted, and he feels something in himself loosen when the coffee shop is silent but for the reassuring, apologetic and gentle voice of the omega.

 

Matt’s about to relax back into his seat when the alpha snaps a rude remark to the omega; by now, Matt’s decided to pay attention enough to diffuse the situation if it’s needed, but he’s not about to be swayed into posturing by another weak-willed omega – no matter how pleasant and enticing his scent is.

 

However, after the omega pays for a replacement drink and the barista starts to make it, the alpha says something cruel to the kid behind the counter – Matt wasn’t paying close enough attention to the words, but the tone had  _ his _ hackles rising, and he’s getting to his feet with a snarl on his lips when he hears an angry snarl.

 

And it’s  _ not _ from the alpha.

 

The omega is a bright, white heat in his vision and Matt’s fully immersed in the scene before him.

 

“How  _ dare _ you say something like that, you  _ asshole _ .” The omega gets  _ right up  _ in the alpha’s space and pokes him hard in the chest. The alpha sputters indignantly and Matt feels his fists clench and his heart pound.

 

“Jessie did not do anything to you, just because you got your silk panties in a wad up your ass over an  _ accident _ , doesn’t give you an excuse to be a complete and utter  _ asshat _ !”

 

The alpha starts to straighten and growl, bringing him looming over the shorter omega – Matt can hear him clench his fists and he’s stepping towards the pair, mouth open to say something when the omega surprises him  _ again _ .

 

He  _ growls and shoves _ the _ alpha _ in front of him.

 

“Oh  _ fuck no! _ You are taking your sorry ass out of this place, and you will  _ not _ be getting that drink. You will leave  _ now _ because Jessie will be calling the cops.”

 

Matt hears soft, silky strands move, and he deduces that the omega glanced quickly over his shoulder to give the barista (Jessie) what he supposes is a pointed look.

 

The alpha is only speechless for a second, but looks like he gets the message and just snarls before marching out of the shop and slamming the door behind him, the force rattling the glass window violently.

 

The shop is silent, and Matt smells fear and distress coming from the barista and the beta woman. Her husband smells of irritation and weariness (now relief), and lastly –

 

A very  _ enticing _ scent from the omega just steps in front of him. Matt twitches in an effort to stop his hands from reaching out to comfort the distressed omega before him, who’s already turning to the counter.

 

“Are you okay, Jessie?”

 

Matt hears her sniffle and he smells mucous and salt in the air. 

 

Oh. So that’s why the omega was upset – that beast of an alpha made the gentle barista cry.

 

“Y-yes… Here’s your order, sir. And thank you, but… are  _ you _ okay?” Jessie asks, fidgeting while she arranges the cups and carefully slides them in front of the omega, who makes an inquiring noise and tilts his head to the side in a confused gesture. Matt immediately gets a waft of green apple and he feels a soft warmth crawl up his spine as his tense muscles relax.

 

“Yea, I’m okay… why?”

 

“Well, you… um… nevermind.”

 

Matt scowls before awkwardly returning to his seat, but he sightlessly tracks the omega as he frowns down at his now cold beverage. The beta barista no doubt is ‘concerned’ about the man because of his second gender. The blind, teenage alpha finds a small bit of offense on behalf of the omega-homme, who is strong and confident in his own right, for being misjudged.

 

The omega chuckles softly and it makes something ease in Matt’s chest even though it’s not directed at him, “That’s okay, Jessie… but I want you to call this in to the police, okay?”

 

“We will as well,” the beta woman speaks up, her heels clicking as she approaches the omega-homme and beta-femme at the counter, “That was very brave of you, dear.” The beta woman says in a patronizing voice, one that would make Matt grimace if it was directed at him.

 

“Well thank you, miss.” The omega replies politely.

 

“But incredibly stupid.” She admonishes in the same breath. Matt bites his lip. While he’s a little more forward thinking than others, he can’t help but agree.

 

“Ma’am, just because I’m an omega, doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself. That’s not the first time I’ve had to handle an alpha like that.”

 

Something about that admission makes Matt bristle and his heartbeat quicken. He takes a breath and tries to calm himself. He’s being ridiculous and he’s being irrational – Matt focuses on the gentle and calming scent of green apples and paper, unknowingly seeking his center in the unfamiliar omega.

 

He must be getting ill. Maybe he shouldn’t have walked around in the cold for so long.

 

The woman makes a disapproving tone and pats the omega on the arm, “You should never have to deal with those things, dear! Where’s your alpha? Surely they can’t like you being in these situations.”

 

The omega chooses not to respond and the lady just sighs, “Well, my husband and I will report this to our friend at the station, so don’t you worry about this at all, we will handle it.” She looks towards the barista behind the counter, “Dear, we will have Officer Mahoney call you if he needs your statement.”

 

“Take care dears.” She pats the omega again and coos at him. The omega takes it in stride and smiles, but Matt can smell the lingering scent of distress. He wonders if the other betas in the room can pick up on it too, and that’s why they are all trying to smother him.

 

Matt can sense that the earlier scene is bothering the omega more than he’s admitting. His heartbeat is still quick, but it’s at least calmed down after the irate alpha left.

 

“Jessie, why don’t you take a break and call someone. I’ll stay in the shop until you return.” Matt can hear the barista hesitate before leaving, but not until after she gives the omega two blueberry muffins in a bag.

 

With that she leaves the room, and Matt can hear the back door leading into the alley outside open and shut as the young beta takes out her phone.

 

Matt hears liquid sloshing in two cups that the omega picks up.

 

Two. Probably for his alpha, though he can’t smell any marks from where he’s sitting – and even if it’s not for an alpha it’s probably for a friend which means he’ll be leaving and for some reason he really wants to – 

 

“Hey there! What a scene, huh?” Matt’s face jerks to the direction of the voice, startled at the nervous and awkward voice from the omega.

 

Matt sees warmth on the omega’s face – he’s blushing, and smiling, probably. His voice sounded like it.

 

After clearing his throat, Matt allows himself to smile ruefully at the omega standing next to his seat.

 

“A bit of over-acting from the alpha, but you played your part beautifully.” He tries for a charming smile and isn’t so sure he pulls it off, especially when he realizes how his voice dropped a level and lilted - his go-to flirting voice.

 

What the hell?

 

The omega laughs loudly and Matt has to fight to hold his expression. His heart skipped again, and now suddenly he’s nervous. 

 

“Well I  _ was _ the best in my high school drama class, so thanks!” He giggles a little, and Matt wonders how old the omega before him is, he can’t bee too much older than Matt, with a childish laugh like that.

 

“Anyways, may I sit? I bought you a coffee.” The omega raises the cup in his right hand and sure enough, it smells like his usual order – but piping hot. His eyebrows rise in surprise.

 

“That’s for me?” He asks incredulously. His sightless eyes purposefully angled at the omega’s chest and not at the offering in his right hand that he can smell and hear.

 

He can sense the omega smiling down at him and he has no idea what expression is on his own face. 

 

He feels kind of stupid.

 

“Yea, you know… before I ran into the guy, I had bought you a drink. You looked like you had a lot on your mind and forgot your own.” The omega jokes and gestures to Matt’s own, cold coffee in front of him and the young alpha blushes.

 

“Uh… well… I…” 

 

Wow… Matt feels lame, but the omega man doesn’t seem to mind. 

 

“Don’t worry about it. I remember high school being a bitch.” He chuckles at some inside joke and Matt hears the scrape of the chair legs on the tile floor in front of him as the omega settles his weight into it.

 

“Yea… thank you…?” he mutters, embarrassed and without any more elegant words to offer. He normally doesn’t talk to people, and when he does it’s never this difficult. Matt blames hormones, even though he’s hardly affected by omegas anymore, regardless of his super-senses. 

 

“My name is Matt.”

 

He  _ immediately  _ wants to hide his face in mortification. How  _ lame _ and  _ uncool _ is he right now? Matt holds his breath for the two seconds it takes the omega to respond.

 

“I’m Foggy.” Matt can practically hear the smile in his voice and Matt’s so focused on the omega’s –  _ Foggy’s _ heart beat thrum happily in his chest, that he thinks his own is striving to match its pace. 

 

“Coffee is about five inches forward of your right hand, by the way.”

 

Matt’s not surprised that the omega realized his blindness, though he was kind of hoping he didn’t give much indication – what pleased him was the nonchalance he treated it with. He didn’t ask or stutter – it was an afterthought. 

 

So Matt nods and allows himself a moment to recenter with a careful sip of the offered beverage,  before he smiles kindly before he asks with an amused voice. “Foggy?”

 

‘Foggy’ laughs brightly. “Yea, my real name is  _ horrendous _ .” He snorts derisively, “ _ Franklin _ , what were my parents thinking, huh?”

 

Matt is feeling confident and comfortable, so he replies, coy “And Foggy is better?” Matt thinks for a moment too late and then panics. What if he thought he was offending – 

 

“Oh, you can’t see me, but I definitely look like a ‘Foggy’. Ask anyone.”

 

Matt grins so hard it hurts his face a little, “I’ll take your word for it – though it  _ does _ kinda suit your voice.”

 

“So I sound like a Foggy?” The man asks, amused and he senses a smirk and an eyebrow rise. He takes a sip from his drink – white chocolate – and then Matt speaks, “Just trust the blind kid on this. I can’t see for shit but I know when I hear something good.”

 

Pride swells in his chest and something in his alpha hindbrain is pleased at getting the omega in front of him to laugh like that.

 

“Oh, kid… you are funny, I’ll give you that.” Matt just smirks at the man in front of him and leans back in his chair and enjoys his coffee. There’s a friendly silence between them for a few minutes as they both sip from their drinks and Foggy looks out the window and hums.

 

Matt hasn’t felt this happy or this content and comfortable in forever, it seems.

 

A small panic starts to rear in his chest as the moment stretches on, making his heart clench inside his chest when he comes to a startling realization – he doesn’t want this to end. 

 

He wants the man to stay a little longer. Matt knows there’s likely no romance to be had, after all who wants a blind alpha who can’t protect or provide? And he’s probably too young for the omega man, if the way he called him ‘kid’ was any indication – but even though… he finds himself wanting to confide in Foggy. He wants him to be his friend, or a mentor, or  _ something _ . If Matt had a ‘pack’, or wanted to start one, he’d want  _ this _ omega to be a part of it, in one way or another.

 

He needs to keep the omega man here. Here in this coffee shop. Here in his  _ life _ . He’s never had this kind of impulse before, and it’s overwhelming but so  _ good _ and so  _ right _ .

 

Matt needs to find a way to keep this. He can’t lose this. He needs to find something to talk about, he needs to say something to get the man to stay longer. Then maybe he can convince the man that he’ll be eighteen soon, and they can be friends… or something.

 

“Hey, Matt… you okay, buddy?”

 

Matt is able to not startle or jerk in surprise when Foggy’s gentle and concerned voice cuts into his panicked thoughts. 

 

“Um… yea…”

 

_ Stupid. _

 

Foggy just hums thoughtfully, as if the teenage alpha said something spectacularly eloquent and Matt tilts his head down to mime staring solemnly at the almost-empty cup in his hands.

 

“Well, sometimes it helps to talk about things that are on your mind to willing strangers.” 

 

Matt looks up and at Foggy, staring at him sightlessly. The omega man will think it’s just habit for the teen, and not know that Matt can see the outline of his head and shoulders and torso where he sits in front of him. That he can hear the gentle shift of his silky hair as it brushes his shoulders.

 

“And you are a willing stranger.” Matt doesn’t mean to say it like  _ that _ – in a deadpan. But it’s out now.

 

Foggy just laughs good-naturedly, “Yea, man. Lay it on me!” Matt tries not to choke on his sip of coffee, because he is  _ not _ a horny alpha-teenager.  _ No _ , he is  _ not. _

 

“What’s on your mind?” The omega man leans forward with his arms folded on the small table. He finally gets an idea in his head. The omega man is willing to start a conversation, is  _ offering _ \- this is his opening to keep the man here longer, and he’ll take it. Even if he ends up sounding like a whiney high-schooler.

 

“Um… well… like you said… high school sucks.” Matt smiles ruefully and struggles to get the rest out, but Foggy is patient. 

 

“There’s this class I have to take for credit to graduate... it’s an internship program, and the counselor is on my case about not having acquired or accepted any offers yet…” Matt pauses and he notices Foggy nodding understandably (probably out of habit), but he then pauses, as if remembering, and then he hums in understanding.

 

There’s a silence before Foggy prompts, “So, what’s holding you up?”

 

Matt is silent for a moment before answering, “Well… the internships she had ‘found’ for me are…” He winces and Foggy’s bark of laughter interrupts him. “That bad, huh?”

 

“Yea. She got irritated today and kinda yelled at me for not accepting her offers, and told me that I have limited opportunities because of my…” He waves a hand at his face and he can  _ smell _ the omega’s displeasure and his heartbeat quicken and he just  _ knows _ that Foggy is upset, and for a second it throws him because he has never had anyone upset on his behalf before –

 

“That is an incredibly stupid thing for her to say or assume.” Foggy sounds decisive, and protective, and the little part of him that is still looking for adult reassurance and support feels content. 

 

“Matt, I don’t know you that well, but you seem like an intelligent kid.” Matt tries not to scrunch his nose childishly in distaste at being called a ‘kid’ by this wonderful omega in front of him, but he must not have succeeded because the omega snorts.

 

“Oh, don’t be like that. I’m sure you are eighteen, or almost eighteen, whatever. But these days, anyone under thirty seems like a kid to me – it’s my omega nature, probably.” He says the last part as if he doesn’t quite believe it, but can excuse him.

 

Foggy’s that old? Matt could have sworn he was in his twenties, but it doesn’t matter. Matt can still protect him and be a good, strong alpha for him. He can be everything this omega needs. Age isn’t that big of deal, not to Matt. Foggy seems like a strong-willed omega, but he shouldn’t have to look out for himself, and he won’t  _ have _ to when Matt’s the one watching over - 

 

Wait. What?

 

Foggy must take Matt’s expression of shock as a reaction to his possible age because he laughs. “Oh stop it. I’m not that old, I just  _ feel _ like it, that’s all.”

 

“So how old are you?” Matt asks, and tries not to sound too interested, and hope the crack in his voice wasn’t that noticeable to the omega.

 

Foggy snorts and he hears him shift – silky strands brush over his shoulders, over rough, sturdy material. The omega was still wearing his coat inside?

 

“No asking a lady her age, Matt. And no changing the subject, either.” 

 

He smiles innocently, leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest. Matt’s now consciously aware of how flat he is. He’ll need to increase his push-ups, and up his reps for his arms.

 

“It worked for a minute.” He says smugly and  _ wow _ . He can pretty much  _ hear _ the other’s eyes roll.

 

“I’m sure you just heard my overly dramatic eye-roll. I am not impressed, by the way.” Foggy points at him teasingly, though he  _ knows _ Matt can’t see it, so he doesn’t know why he is bothering – the omega continues, “Anyways, what I was saying before you made that  _ ridiculously _ cute pouty face – Yea! That one! Adorable.” 

  
Matt’s not amused, and he’s not sure he’s glad that Foggy is. But he does like the familiarity and ease with which the other is addressing him, so he won’t complain for now.

 

“So basically, that counselor whoever is an idiot. She should be able to find you more challenging work, or at least something you are interested in,” Foggy pauses and Matt waits.

 

“So… what  _ are _ you interested in? What do you think you’d want to do for a career?”

 

Matt frowns.

 

He doesn’t know, and it’s something that disappoints him, and he doesn’t want Foggy to think he has no goals in life. Matt’s about to conjure a convincing lie when Foggy sighs gently.

 

“I see. That’s your dilemma.” The omega man says it gently and kindly with a smile…

 

But Matt still wants to bury himself. It didn’t bother him  _ too _ much before, but now he feels almost ashamed.

 

“Hey!” Foggy almost launches out of his chair, “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Matt! You’re not even out of high school yet! Contrary to what all the adults in your life might say, you  _ don’t _ have to have your life all planned out in high school. You have four to six years and even  _ more _ to find out what your passions are!”

 

Matt feels a small smile tug on his face and the tense muscles in his back start to relax as Foggy speaks, “Just think about this internship assignment as a process of elimination. When you are in high school, that’s pretty much what it’s going to end up being, anyways.”

 

Everything in Matt’s mind settles suddenly and it’s like everything clicked into place. 

 

“That’s… actually very good advice.” Matt smiles, a  _ real honest smile _ . He can’t believe it himself, even when he wears the evidence on his face. He’s happy, and Matt thinks he wants  _ more _ happy moments in his life, and right now it feels like this man is the only one who could ever give them.

 

He _can’t_ _lose him_.

 

But…

 

“But I still don’t know what I want to… try?”

 

Foggy shrugs (again, like Matt could see it) and takes out the bag of muffins he had sitting beside him and sets one on a napkin in front of Matt. “It’s blueberry, if you didn’t overhear the barista.” He comments idly as he sets up his own muffin. He hums to himself in thought as he breaks a piece off of and pops it into his mouth.

 

They are quiet for a few moments. Matt thinking about what Foggy might be thinking as he seems to be humming to himself – or at tasting his muffin. He really doesn’t know, but he  _ hopes _ he gets the chance to one day be able to distinguish Foggy’s sounds.

 

Oh man, he’s got it bad. Matt needs to pull himself together.

 

Later.

 

“Ah HA!” the omega shouts triumphantly, startling Matt so much he jerks, accidently jarring the table, and Foggy just laughs as he saves the cups from tipping over.

 

“Haha, sorry, man. Got excited there for a moment.”

 

There’s a beat of silence.

  
“Well? You have an idea, I presume?”

 

Foggy laughs again, “Yes, yea. I do.” He clears his throat and now his heartbeat quickens and he smells anxious, his voice is slightly nervous and Matt grits his teeth to fight instincts to reach out. 

 

“Well, um… I was thinking that since you don’t seem to like any of your current options, and it sounds like you need to make a decision soon… right?” At the omega’s hesitance, Matt nods and then winces slightly, reaching behind him with one arm to stretch at the back of his head in his own bashful gesture.

 

“Yea. She said I needed to decide which internship I wanted to take, or find my own – or risk a failing grade.” 

 

Matt’s senses tell him that Foggy’s smile grows a little, “Well… So what if you  _ did _ find your own internship?” Now the omega sounds a little coy, and Matt’s feeling a little confused. 

 

“What do you have in mind?”

 

The omega shifts in his seat, “I was thinking, that I could offer you an internship?” He sounds unsure, his voice lilting a little higher at the end.

 

Matt shifts in his seat and tries to settle the stir in his stomach as he raises his eyebrow and smiles, “Okay… what do you do?”

 

It doesn’t matter  _ what _ Foggy does. He’ll accept the offer anyways because it’s a legitimate reason to see the man again, and to be around him for at  _ least  _ ten hours a week.

 

“Oh. I’m the bad guy.” He says jokingly.

 

Foggy’s an insurance adjuster?

 

Matt can sense the grin stretching across the omega’s face and he feels his heart skip and his groin stir when he hears the slight drop in the omega-homme’s voice, and it’s filled with pride.

 

“I’m a Lawyer.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! 
> 
> Third chapter should be up Monday! I'll try to be quicker with updating this story in the future <3
> 
> Now, enjoy!
> 
> And PLEASE, let me know what you think about Foggy's POV. :)

Foggy’s cellphone rings in his pocket, interrupting their debate about the politics of Star Wars. It was a very engaging topic, and the omega was proving to be a very good conversationalist. Matt found himself talking more than he probably has in _years_ and he’s _enjoying it._

 

“Wow! It’s nearly eleven! _Shit._ I’ve got court tomorrow.” Foggy mutters under his breath a few more curses and silences the ringer on his phone. He moves to get up, collecting his jacket and straightening.

 

No.

 

Matt’s a little panicky. He wants to stay in touch. He wants to talk more. He wants this connection to stay. Foggy is so kind and friendly and Matt has only known him for a few _hours_ , but he knows by the tones in his voice that he’s a good person. Matt has not genuinely _good_ people in what feels like _years._

 

He’s so lost in his head, that he startles when a soft hand touches his clenched knuckles.

 

“Sorry about that, kiddo.” The omega apologizes kindly – not pitying or demeaning, “I wanted to leave you my card – for your internship class.” Matt lets out the breath he was holding, his spine still ridged and he was too startled to really process the brief touch from the older man. But he allows hope that he’ll see the omega again when he feels a thick card being pressed into the palm of his opened hand.

 

“I pressed down with a ballpoint, so you should be able to feel it. Sorry, but I don’t know brail.” He smiles and giggles kindly (Foggy’s so _kind_ ) – Matt just nods his head and gently runs his thumb over the indentations. He frowns for a moment and then turns it over to feel the raised cardstock.

 

Matt smiles teasingly, “You didn’t have to write backwards.”

 

Foggy laughs so loud and genuine, that Matt finds himself smiling wider.

 

“I thought I’d save your fingers from getting ink on them, but you did that anyways.” He snickers at him, like a friend would. And Matt likes it.

 

“Well, I got to go.” Foggy hurries to say and then, a firm hand lands on his shoulder and Matt looks up at the omega man with a smile. “It was good to meet you, Matt. Don’t be a stranger, let me know if I can help you out with an internship,” He pauses and Matt’s about to respond when Foggy continues, “Or even if you just want someone to talk to,” Matt senses the omega’s wide and friendly smile and something like acceptance blooms in his chest, “you are a good conversationalist.” With that, he squeezes Matt’s shoulder and takes a step back.

 

“Thanks, Foggy. I think I’ll take you up that.” Matt says the first part a little breathy, and he continues louder, hoping his voice doesn’t sound strangled with emotion.

 

Foggy nods and waves, Matt can feel the displacement in the air, “Take care, Matt. Get home safely!”

 

Matt just nods, and listens intently as Foggy leaves. Taking his gentle scent with him. As Matt gathers his backpack and throws away his cup, he follows Foggy as he walks down the street – listening to his strong heartbeat until it fades from Matt’s senses.

 

“He’s really nice, huh?”

 

Matt startles, almost running into a chair. He feels himself blush a little as the barista giggles a bit. To save face, Matt clears his throat carefully. “Yea. Is he a regular?” Matt hopes he sounds casual, and not besotted or desperate. He doesn’t know if he’s disappointed or not when he hears the barista’s ponytail whip from side to side.

 

“No…” she pauses in wiping down the counter. “He’s only been here once before, that I know of.”

 

Matt makes a vague, hum of interest and lets the conversation fade… but she’s still staring at him expectantly, so he waits awkwardly.

 

A few seconds pass and Jessie laughs self-consciously. “Sorry… um… have a good night… do… you want me to call you a cab? I get off my shift in ten, if you want me to help you home…?”

 

Matt _tries_ not to glower, and the girl has already been through a lot tonight, and she’s just being nice because she thinks he needs help and she thinks he’s attractive (if the speed of her heart tells him anything). But he remembers how Foggy gave that rude alpha a dressing-down, and Matt _also_ really likes this shop, and doesn’t want to be awkward –

 

“No thank you. I’m able to get home from here. It’s always night for me.” Here he looks up with a strained smile that’s probably showing too much of his canines.

 

Jessie doesn’t seem threatened at all and just nods and then turns her back to him.

 

“Okay then, good night!”

 

“Bye.”

 

Matt leaves the coffee shop and just holds his stick out in front of him, but not dragging it side-to-side or tapping it on the sidewalk. It is a prop for the act he has to put on every damn day.

 

There’s no one nearby who he needs to perform for right now, so he lets the frown overtake his features again, and tries not to get upset.

 

Matt was just starting to feel better, and was in such a good mood. How could it fall so quickly with one idle comment from the beta coffee-girl?

 

The blind alpha huffs, and continues to makes his way at a sedate pace to the orphanage. He’ll no doubt have to try and climb in through a window, because the nuns probably locked him out already. It was close to midnight.

 

Matt puts his left hand into his pocket and encounters the omega man’s business card and gently thumbs the raised numbers on it – with each brush along the digits, he feels himself calm bit-by-bit.

 

He has Foggy’s number. He could call him any time, Foggy had said so, and he had meant it.

 

His heart did not lie.

  

* * *

 

 

Two days later, Foggy wakes up, and after glancing at his alarm clock groans and rolls out of bed and onto the floor. Moving to his feet, he groans again and drags his feet all the way to his sad, little shower.

 

Under the spray, he sighs and allows himself to run through his case in his mind. He was defending a client from being wrongfully accused of assault to an officer, and he was getting paid 200$ and free breakfast burritos on the weekends. Foggy had only joked about being paid in foodstuffs, but the client had thought it was a _splendid_ idea, and told his family.

 

He’s done, dressed and out the door in twenty minutes flat. Foggy doesn’t have time to get breakfast, but accepts a coffee from his clients mother with a poorly enunciated _‘Grassyass’_ , which makes the old, beta woman smile, before he strides confidently into the courtroom and proceeds to wipe the floor with his opponent.

 

After he wins the case, he accepts the hugs and murmurs of gratitude in rapid Spanish, along with handshakes from about six different male members his client’s family – four of them were alphas who grabbed his hand in both of theirs and shook his hand very enthusiastically.

 

It made him feel good to help Raul and his family. Raul was an alpha that had gotten into a tough spot. The kid was barely twenty and when he was on his way to a corner market at night, he had stuck himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The victim had been the _omega son_ of a recently- _murdered_ alpha police officer, and the press had needed a scapegoat.

 

Many people think that Foggy is just a crusader for _omega_ rights, and it’s probably what hurt his reputation the most. But seriously? He just wants to help people – of all genders, and all kinds.

 

Hell. He’s already called ‘dibs’ if Spiderman ever needs legal assistance.

 

After Foggy has had his late lunch, and has settled back down as his desk in his small, lonely office, he looks through his office door where he has a clear line-of-sight of the desk where his secretary would be (when he can afford to have one). He is proud that he has been doing well for himself since leaving that horrid firm. Yea, he had used the bank he made from his internship there (and the civil case he had won when he figured out he was not being paid equally) to sign the lease for his shitty little office.

 

But it was _his_ shitty little office, and he’s _proud_ of it.

 

Still. He stares at the desk across the small room, and vaguely imagines the young alpha from the coffee shop – Matt – sitting there with is cane propped against the desk.

 

It would be nice to have that desk filled.

 

The omega stops and replays the other night in his head and he can’t help but smile a little sadly. Matt seems like he has already been through so much for how young he is. Fact is, Foggy has a pretty good idea who Matt is – the first name and the blindness, along with the age… seventeen, probably – fits the timeline of the heroic kid, Matthew Murdock, who was blinded by chemicals after saving an old man from being hit by a semi.

 

Foggy was fifteen, and had barely presented as an omega when the accident happened. He remembers being so fascinated and in awe that someone so _young_ could be so _brave_ and self-sacrificing. He had wanted to meet the kid, and maybe ask for his autograph. Foggy would have cherished it, and it would have made the kid feel proud and important, because he _should be_. Foggy would have told him he was a superhero, like Captain America – because in Foggy’s mind he already was.

 

When the omega man had put two-and-two together, he found he was not surprised the boy ended up presenting as an alpha. He was already a hero and a protector long before his second gender became known, which was just more proof to Foggy that your second gender doesn’t ever change who you are.

 

But it looked like Matt had needed a hero, and Foggy isn’t exactly hero-material like Matt, but he was more than happy to step in and help. If Foggy could do just a small thing to help get a smile on the kid’s face, it was worth it. Foggy lived to help people – despite what people think, he’s not ashamed of his second gender. He _knows_ he’s a nurturer.

 

He just also happens to be tenacious, a tad-bit cunning, and _extremely_ boisterous.

 

Foggy hopes Matt will accept his offer of an internship – he thinks Matt won’t care that he’s an _omega_ lawyer, because the kid just didn’t seem like that kind of guy. Now, he could be wrong – but he’s _rarely_ wrong when it comes to judging someone’s character.

 

He shuffles some papers to the side and stacks them next to the finished box to sort through later, before grabbing another small stack of court proceedings for another case he’s working on.

 

Matt had looked a little lost, and more than a little surprised when Foggy extended kindness towards him. The young alpha was a little awkward, but also endearing – though there were moments where it seemed like he was afraid that Foggy would leave.

 

How a kid with a background like that could ever be lonely is a mystery to Foggy. But if the young alpha accepts his internship proposal, he’ll be sure the kid has fun, and knows that he has someone he can come to count on and confide in.

 

Foggy wants to be that support for Matthew, and he doesn’t know why he wants it so much.

 

Probably part omega-tendencies towards nurturing, his ‘Foggy’ tendencies towards wanting to make everyone laugh until they cry, and lastly it might be a teeny-tiny bit admiration for Hell’s Kitchen’s own hero.


	3. Chapter 3

“Law office of Nelson, how can I help you?” He answers politely, but distracted, when the phone rings.

 

There’s a brief silence on the other end of the line, and if he didn’t hear the nervous hitch of breath, he would think he was speaking to nothing.

 

_“Hello? Um… can I… um… is,”_ a hesitant, male voice sounds over the phone. It’s a nice voice, with a little depth to it. Slightly husky but still sounds adolescent. The omega lawyer waits patiently for a moment and smiles kindly when he hears the young man on the other end softly curse himself after holding the phone away from him. Foggy can’t help but picture it in his head, and he immediately likes this caller. Sounds like a cute kid.

 

He lets himself laugh kindly and hopes his tone is jovial and not intimidating when he continues, “Take your time, don’t worry about it.”

 

_“…Foggy?”_

Not _he’s_ pulling his phone away from his ear and staring at it. When he pulls it back he answers, “Yes, that’s…” A smile suddenly breaks out across his face. It’s Matt!

 

“Wait, is this Matt? How’s it going, buddy?” Foggy winces a little at how drastically his voice changed. He was a little loud in his happy surprise, but the omega man doesn’t really care all that much as he keeps the smile on his face.

 

A soft, nervous laughter sounds from the other end of the line. So cute. _“Uh, yea… sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t know your last name, and I couldn’t remember your first name and just in case –“_

“It’s okay, buddy. No worries, I’m happy you called! How’s your holiday break so far?”

 

Foggy could hear movement on the other side of the line, like Matt’s nervously shuffling in his seat like he did in the café. It’s funny how clearly he could picture it after a week.

 

_“Yea, it’s been good so far. Not doing too much, though. But, um… I was wondering if,”_ Matt hesitates and Foggy can hear a soft intake of breath from the other end, _“If the internship was… if I could still…”_

 

The omega took pity on the poor kid, and genially answers his unasked inquiry, “Yea, Matt. If you still need an internship, and you think you’d like to try a hand at lawyering, I’m more than happy to be your mentor. Just let me know if there’s any forms or paperwork I need to fill out, and give me the details.”

 

Foggy smiles when he hears a soft sigh of relief from the young alpha, _“Thanks, that’s… yea. I’ll call my guidance counselor and let her know. She’ll probably call you soon. We were supposed to do ten hours over break for our internship, so she might want me to get started soon… if that’s okay, and she said something about a site visit so, she might drop by after she calls? I had an email she drafted for me to forward to a potential internship but… the computer here isn’t working right now, so I can’t forward the email…”_

 

“Don’t worry about it, Matt. I’ll wait for her call, don’t worry about it.” He pauses, “Is there anything else you need me to know?”

 

_“Um… no, no… that’s it I think.”_ Matt takes a breath, and the young alpha hesitates again, and Foggy tries to alleviate his awkwardness.

 

“Okay, then!” Foggy replies genially. “If there’s anything else you need, Matt, just let me know. I don’t bite.” The omega man grins when he hears the teenager huff out a laugh.

 

_“Just in court, right?”_

 

Foggy agrees wholeheartedly, “Of course!” He laughs but then cuts it off suddenly when he sees the front door open and a young lady step in.

 

“Hello, ma’am. Go ahead and take a seat, I’ll be right with you.” The omega man stands and gestures towards one of the three waiting chairs he has to the side of the front office door facing reception where he’s currently standing.

 

_“Sounds like you have a client. I’ll let you go.”_ The kid replies kindly, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

 

“Don’t be a stranger, Matt. Call again, and let me know if you want to chat sometime. We can continue our debate on – politics.” He chuckles and then sighs happily.

 

“Anyways, if I don’t hear from you before Christmas, have a happy holiday, Matt!”

 

Foggy tries to hide a smile when he hears the young man on the other end respond in pleasant surprise.

 

_“Good to know, and I’ll…”_ Another pause, and then a little softer, _“You too, Foggy. Have a good day.”_

 

The lawyer hangs up the phone and a smile finds his face easily as he officially greets his newest client.

 

* * *

 

Matt hangs up and finds that he has a happy smile and an embarrassed blush on his cheeks. He was so _not_ smooth over the phone, at all. But Foggy didn’t seem to mind, and was extremely nice about it, taking Matt’s awkwardness in stride.

 

And Foggy had wished him well, and wanted to talk more Matt’s slightly nerdy obsessions with the politics of multiple movie franchises.

 

He struggles to keep the goofy grin off of his face for the rest of the day.

 

Matt decides he’ll call Darla first thing tomorrow morning. He wants to start this internship as soon as possible.

 

He can’t wait.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Matt leaves Darla a voice mail before changing into his track sweats and heading down to the gym. _Fogwell’s_ was always a special place for the young alpha – it was where his father preferred to train, and some of Matt’s earliest memories were of sitting in the corner, playing with his blocks while watching his dad spare with other gym members.

 

Then Jack had started to train Matt how to box. Just the basics, but it’s a routine that has always brought him peace and he does it often.

 

Matt’s feeling pretty content and relaxed, so he doesn’t have all that extra energy to punch out, but he doesn’t want to start becoming lazy, and feels the need to try and bulk up again.

 

He tells himself it’s _not_ because of a certain omega he may or may not want to try and impress, for whatever reason. But it wouldn’t be an unwelcome _result_.

 

Matt does about half of his usual routine before he’s heading back to the orphanage to shower and check his phone messages.

 

Darla sounded a little annoyed that Matt had found his own internship, but said she’d give ‘Mr. Nelson’ a call that afternoon.

 

The alpha’s heart speeds up a little in anticipation, and he hopes that everything goes smoothly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Law office of Nelson, how can I help you?”

 

_“Hello Mr. Nelson. This is Darla Patterson from Success Academy’s Guidance Department, I’m calling regarding an internship proposal for a student of ours, Matthew Murdock.”_

Foggy grins, but he keeps his voice professional and leveled, because this lady kind of sounds like a bitch, and he doesn’t want to make Matt’s life more difficult. “Hello, Ms. Patterson. Yes, this is Franklin Nelson, what can I do for you?”

 

He hears the shuffling of papers in the background and the slamming of a door? _“Well I wanted to go over the guidelines and requirements for Matthew’s internship at your office. I’m sure you are aware of his disability?”_

 

Foggy very kindly bites his tongue to keep from snapping at the woman. “Yes, I am aware that he is blind, but I do not see it as being an issue,” He pauses, “if that is your concern, Ms. Patterson.”

 

She hums a little derisively before she continues, _“Not entirely,”_ she drawls. Lovely. Franklin is speaking with a royal bitch. No matter, he’s still a people person, _“I am mainly concerned that Matthew may not get the quality experience that is needed out of an internship.”_

 

The omega’s light and professional tone is about to snap into a bite if he’s not careful. “Oh? It was my understanding that employers nowadays are required to provide equal opportunity, and Matthew appears to be an intelligent and competent young man who has overcome his prior afflictions.” He is channeling his chillingly polite, lawyer tone – the one he has to take when dealing with certain self-righteous individuals.

 

“If Matthew would like to shadow me in my work, and assist me in office operations, I have no problem making appropriate accommodations for him.” And now Foggy was going to throw in the zinger, “Matthew had expressed a concern that the few internship opportunities made available to him were not to his liking, or were beneath his skill level. If the young man wants a challenge, and thinks that he may be interested in law, I am not in a position to tell him no.” Oh. Foggy _wishes_ the bitch could see his smile right now. It’d turn her to stone.

 

“Besides, aren’t we trying to encourage the students of Hell’s Kitchen to pursue career opportunities and higher education?”

 

Foggy hears an irritated huff from the bitch, _“Very well, Mr. Nelson. I will be coming over to vet your offices and to deliver the necessary documents to get your firm registered with the school. Matthew will be able to start his internship, should the paperwork and background check go through, by the New Year. You will have until that time to prepare for his arrival. I will speak with you again shortly.”_

Without a single goodbye, Ms. Patterson hangs up and Foggy rolls his eyes and allows himself to softly growl.

 

“What a bitch.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Matt’s worried.

 

He hasn’t gotten a call back from Darla yet about whether or not he got the internship. Matt’s positive that it would all go smoothly, but then would she have sent him some paperwork by now?

 

However, a part of him is afraid that Foggy… Mr. Nelson, had changed his mind after talking with Ms. Patterson. He knows the woman seems to think that Matt’s grades are a result of him being given certain ‘privileges’, and that he is automatically ‘extra trouble’ because he needs special accommodations due to his disability.

 

What if the omega lawyer thought it’d be too much trouble after all? Matt wouldn’t have a reason to see and talk to the omega again. He’d probably never get the opportunity to talk with or get closer to the older man. Matt doesn’t want their only encounter to be at the coffee shop. He wants to see Foggy every day.

 

It was day before Christmas Eve, and he was running out of time.

 

“Hey, buddy! Why the long face?” A cheery voice greets him, and Matt hears snow crunching beneath boots and as the chilly December wind blows, he senses a familiar presence moving in front of him.

 

“Mr. Nelson, how are you?” He says politely, and is startled when the wind disturbs Foggy’s frame and he can sense a small frown on the older man. It’s only a beat and then the man snorts, “Oh, please. What happened to calling me ‘Foggy’, huh?” The omega grins, but it’s not as bright and Matt wants to kick himself.

 

He opens his mouth to say something but again the omega beats him to it, “You having a good holiday so far? I bet it’s nice to be out of school, huh?”

 

Matt smiles tentatively, “Yea, a bit. Though there’s only so much I can do.” He takes a breath through his mouth and nose and gets a small hint of the omega’s scent. The wind scatters it about, and it’s already subtle enough that the sharp smell of pine trees from the lot around the corner is taking over his senses.

 

“How is your holiday, Foggy? Are you visiting family?”

 

Foggy’s stance relaxes and he can briefly hear the omega man shuffle a little, but it’s made louder by the crunch of snow beneath his feet. “Nah. Not this year.” He pauses to take in a breath and then he looks off to his left somewhere and Matt feels upset.

 

“Hey, you up for some hot chocolate? Or coffee?” Matt looks back up at the omega with an open expression, and the sound reverberating all around them allows Matt to see a nice smile on the older man’s face. “My treat.”

 

Matt smiles and hopes that his relief isn’t blatantly obvious.

 

“That sounds amazing. Thank you.” Matt moves to stand, gathering his cane and Foggy takes a few steps back to allow him. “There’s a place about two blocks from here.” Foggy takes a gloved hand out of a pocket to point down the street, past the pine-tree lot.

 

“Sounds good.” Matt replies, “So. Any good cases lately?” He asks genially, and finds himself grinning at the man walking beside him as he launches into a story. A light feeling invades his chest as he tilts his head to pick up a clearer image of the gentle and happy omega beside him. Matt can smell and hear the bundles of clothing he has on, and in his mind’s eye, the omega looks so soft and comfortable.

 

After the story ends, they reach the shop and with their hot cocoa in hand, Foggy asks Matt what he wants for Christmas.

 

He gives him a light, joking answer… but…

 

The only think Matt wants for Christmas is to hug the older omega beside him – who he basically just met, for as long as he can.

 

But Matt accepts the firm squeeze to his shoulder, and pats the gloved hand there – smiling as the omega waves back to Matt and makes his way home.

 

It isn’t until he’s in bed that night that he remembers he forgot to ask about his internship.

 

And Foggy hadn’t mentioned it either.

 

The next morning he checks the voicemail on his phone and has received a message from Darla.

 

He starts after the New Year.

 

Matt can’t help but feel that this is he best Christmas he has had since his father died.


	4. Chapter 4

Foggy curses under his breath when he checks his bank account.

 

Matt’s due to start his internship, but before he can do that, he needs to buy this ridiculously expensive software program for the teen, so he can check emails and, most importantly, read scanned documents. He had looked into a brail printer, but that was _definitely_ not going to happen. The second-best option was the software and brail-keyboard.

 

That last one wasn’t _too_ bad. But the cost of the software was going to set him back about a month, unless his next client is actually able to pay him the conventional way.

 

The money he got from his suit against L&Z was just enough to pay his rent at his home and at the office. After using the lump-sum portion of the pay-out to get rid of his parent’s crippling debt and then most his student loans, the rest was to be paid out in small amounts over a period of ten years, and it was just enough to cover his rent and utilities.

 

Which was awesome, and it was why he was able to do what he loves…

 

But that meant that the little money he _did_ make, was spent on food and necessities (and the occasional non-necessities, he was human, after all). Especially because he was such a sucker for hopeless cases – he’d _much_ 'fluffier' than he was now, if he could afford his eccentric tastes.

 

No matter what his bank account says, however, he's almost  _always_ able to get his weekly Thai order. 

  

Foggy pauses in his musings to blow a strand of long, blond hair out of his face.

 

Anyways, after budgeting, he doesn’t have much left. Biting his lip, he looks over at the secretary’s desk from his office and then sighs, but smiles.

 

It was a worthwhile investment. The kid needs this, and maybe Foggy does a little too. He can’t lie to himself and think that having the smart, cocky-ass teenage alpha around would be a burden – the exact opposite.

 

Coming in to work those days may actually turn out to be fun, and if he can help Matt figure things out, and make a friend in the process, that’s just a bonus.

 

Also, Foggy could use the help, but more importantly, the company – the kid was as smart as a whip, and he was a bit of a goofball, so they already got along pretty well.

  
Besides, the omega man was a bit lonely, and didn’t have many friends despite how friendly and thankful a lot of his clients were.

 

So he clicks the purchase button, confirms the amount, and then thinks about dropping by Marci’s for dinner.

 

He ruefully hopes that _he’s_ not on the menu.

 

That woman was a _shark_.

 

Snapping shut his laptop; Foggy grins brightly and calls up his friend.

 

* * *

 

 

Matt finds himself settling into his daily meditation with a smile.

 

Today, school was starting up again, and after lunch he’d be bused to Foggy’s office where he’d start his internship.

 

He had _tried_ to get Darla to let him start earlier, but she told him that he had to wait for paperwork to go through official channels – then she kept asking if he was _sure_ that he wanted an internship with _that lawyer_. It… really irritated Matt, and even as he’s playing the conversation that afternoon over in his head, his nose crinkles in distaste.

 

Apparently, she had taken an initiative to call two other law offices, one of them being what she described as ‘prestigious’ and ‘promising’ – that they would offer him a better and more challenging experience, should he be _truly_ interested in becoming a lawyer.

 

Matt was able to assuage her, but insisting that the large corporate law firm and so many people in such a fast-paced environment may overwhelm him – he was sure to sound genuinely sheepish and pathetic, that he grinned like a shark when he could hear the tone in her voice lighten, and take on a more passive – motherly tone.

 

Sometimes he _needed_ to play that card.

 

It was worth it when she apologized genuinely and reassured him that she’s sure that the law office of Nelson Esquire would be a ‘great start’ to have him ‘ease into’ the working world.

 

All of it was B.S. to the young alpha. He just didn’t like how she seemed to think of Foggy.

 

Matt’s sharply pulled out of his medication by the shrill alarm on his phone, alerting him that it was time to go. Leaping to his feet, he snatches his bag from his rickety desk chair and is halfway down the hall before he realizes he forgot his cane, and has to go back.

 

It’s folded and on his dresser when he moves to grab it, though, his fingers brush against a small, plastic bottle and knocks it over, causing the contents inside to rattle.

 

Matt catches it in the air before it falls to the ground and he ropes his hand through the strap of his cane so it dangles off his wrist as he uses both hands to open the prescription bottle, dry-swallowing one of the blue pills.

 

Crap. In his haste he not only almost forgot his cane, but his scent-suppressant as well.

  

* * *

 

 

Foggy Nelson was nervous.

 

His high school intern was starting today, and he had restless and distracted all day.

 

Matt was due at one thirty, giving Foggy the rest of the morning to finish getting the blasted software installed. He had to buy a newer computer, because he was an idiot who didn’t check the system requirements. But in hindsight, the front office looked a little more legit now.

 

Thankfully, a client of his came by to speak with him about her case, so he was occupied until lunchtime. He quickly went down to the corner store and bought a sandwich and some water bottles, before jogging back up to his office.

 

Having eaten on the way over, he set the waters down and dropped himself into the chair that will soon be ‘Matt’s’. Biting his lip to stave off a stupid, giddy smile, he finishes the install on the program, leaving the tutorial open and plugging in noise-canceling headphones for Matt to use with it.

 

When he’s satisfied with the set up, he tries not to fidget – so he decides to head over to his desk and shuffle through papers that he’s not really looking at.

 

Suddenly, there’s a firm knock on his door and Nelson tries not to fall out of his seat and when he looks at the clock on his laptop, he sees that it’s one thirty-five.

 

* * *

 

 

Matt can feel the knot in his stomach tighten as he waits for the door to be answered, but then thinks it’s ridiculous, it’s an office, he should just walk in – so he tentatively opens the door and takes a few steps inside.

 

In here, the hum of the computer monitor and the soft whirr of the laptop from the small room to his right are louder, but not as loud or strong as the omega’s heart beat.

 

He really has no reason to be nervous, and briefly he wonders if he’d have had a similar reaction if he had went with Landman & Zach…

 

Nope. He’s pretty sure his heart wouldn’t skip if he had met whoever his mentor would have been over there.

 

This man seems to be the only one in all of Matt’s seventeen years to ever make him feel, well, _anything._

“Hey Matt! Good to see you! How was school?” Foggy genially exclaims, his heart strong and a touch fast – he’s clearly excited to have Matt there, and it does something funny to that knot in his stomach.

 

After swallowing thickly, Matt smiles widely, “It was same as ever. I think my history teacher didn’t have a good winter break, though.”

 

Foggy laughs so _genuinely_ , it’s endearing, and Matt feels his nerves vanish completely, “Why’s that? Did she give you an essay assignment on the first day back?”

 

Matt schools the smile off his face, and feigns surprise and awe.

 

“How did you know?”

 

The older man almost chokes on his sudden laughter, and Matt can’t hold in his own anymore and joins him.

 

Sighing, loudly, the omega brushes back a few strands of hair that had been dislodged during the laughing fit, “Honestly? It was a lucky guess, because I’m pretty sure Mrs. Potts will still teaching be teaching twelfth-grade history until long after we are both dead.”

 

Matt’s eyebrows raise in surprise and a smile quirks on his lips, because he _didn’t_ know that the man was from Hell’s Kitchen, too.

 

“Really? You had her?”

 

The omega scoffs, and normally Matt would assume that he had took offense, but Matt could hear the smile with Foggy’s light voice as he continues, “Yea man, I’m not _that_ old.” He chuckles softly before he shuffles and gestures for Matt to come over to where he’s standing slightly behind a front desk, and Matt has to restrain himself from responding. Stupid appearances.

 

“Oh, sorry – I should probably give you a quick tour, though there’s not much to see,” Here he laughs nervously, lifting up an arms to scratch at the back of his neck and quickly run a hand through his long hair. A gesture meant to self-soothe, but for Matt, it gave him a delicious waft of the apple-y scent of Foggy’s shampoo.

 

Suddenly he feels two taps on the arm holding his cane and he twitches in surprise, heart tripping over itself with how close the omega had gotten without his noticing. Foggy laughs breathily, “Sorry about that, I thought you heard me coming, I – yea, I wasn’t thinking, but uh – do you want me to?”

 

Matt’s alpha hindbrain short-circuits the part of his _human_ brain that needs to do speech right now.

 

“Um… sorry? What?” He nearly chokes out. Thankfully, the omega takes another step back, though he was barely within arms reach of Matt to begin with.

 

“I was asking if you’d like me to lead you through the space, or if you want me to tell you where everything is… like clock coordinates?” The omega runs a nervous hand through his silky hair again, and the tone of uncertainty and hesitance in his voice, and the very subtle change in his scent that Matt can barely detect, Matt’s able to focus as his internal need to reassure the omega in front of him takes over.

 

“Yes, that’s a good idea – thank you.” He makes sure his voice is level and reassuring. It seems to do the trick, because he can hear the omega’s heartbeat calm back to its usual, heavy beat. Matt feels a tiny seed of satisfaction at the relieved smile he can sense on the man as he takes a step forward.

 

Foggy moves to stand beside him and tells Matt that he’s offering up his elbow. Matt smiles bashfully as he takes it, letting his omega mentor lead him through the space; his inner alpha content and happy at the smiling, relaxed omega.

 

Once they are done with the office-tour, Matt reluctantly lets go of the omega’s elbow when he pulls out a desk chair.

 

“Whelp! This is the end of the incredibly short tour – your desk!” His jovial tone brings a soft chuckle out of Matt, and he sits himself down into the chair and turns it to the desk. Carefully his hands find the keyboard and mouse to the right of the desk, with space to the left for papers and an inbox.

 

When he moves his fingers lightly over the keys, he freezes.

 

“I just installed the software to the computer this morning.” Foggy moves to lean against the desk on the left side. “The headphones are already plugged in, and they are set in the open drawer at your three o’clock. I’m assuming per our conversations that you’ve used the software before, but I know there are like five versions – so I left the tutorial open in case you want to go through it.” The omega informs him happily.

 

Matt’s a little stunned. The software he could see Foggy installing for him, because the school should provide a version to the omega for Matt – but the way Foggy was talking, it sounds like he _bought_ the software himself.

 

But the _keyboard_ … he can navigate a regular keyboard well enough, with practice – but the fact that Foggy got the special, brail keys, just for him, made Matt’s heart clench.

 

“Oh! And I _do_ tend to have some paper files,” Foggy’s voice breaks into his thoughts, “So there’s a hand-scanner at the side table to your left that you can feed the papers through. The software’s supposed to pick up the information and read it back to you. I’ll try to keep what I can digital, but I _do_ need prints for when I go to court, so in the second drawer to your left in the desk, there’s a hand-held, brail label-maker.” Matt’s hand automatically goes to feel for the drawer and pulls it out, gently running his thumb over the large buttons. “Underneath are blank file-folders. So when I ask you to make me a folder for a new client, that’s where they’ll be.”

 

Foggy sighs out a breath and shuffles a little. “Well, that’s enough for now, I’m pretty sure I overwhelmed you enough for today,” Foggy laughs lightly. “I’ll let you get familiar with the software and your desk. Let me know when you’re done or want a break, I can get us some coffee and I can answer any questions you have… sound good.”

 

Matt feigns to look in his general direction and nods, giving the older man a smile. “Thanks. I’ll get started, and let you know when I’m done.”

 

Foggy claps him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture and then Matt hears him move into his office about six paces away.

 

He leaves his office door open a crack, and Matt’s thankful for that, because for some odd reason it makes him feel like he’s not completely bereft of company – just given some space for privacy.

 

The teenage alpha sits at the desk and gingerly runs his hands over the space in front of him. He allows the tears to burn his eyes for a moment, and he feels emotion rise and clog his throat.

 

This man… he was so kind… and Matt knows he’s not a special case. This wonderful omega is genuinely kind, and thoughtful – no one has every extended this much kindness, or thoughtfulness to Matt before.

 

Matt sucks in a shaky breath, and counts backwards from twenty. When he’s done, he immediately flips on the program, and drapes the headphones around his neck.

 

Focusing on his breathing, gulping in the gentle and calming scent of the omega, he deftly navigates the tutorial.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt it was time to introduce Brett into the story. I didn't originally plan to really have him involved much in the story, but considering the mentioned history in the shows and in some story arcs, I felt the need to use this chance to maybe explore their dynamic a little.
> 
> Also. Jealous lil' alpha-Matt is someone I want to write BADLY. So, there will be sprinkles of that in the next chapter. Teehee.
> 
> Yea, I'm thinking of dragging the story out a little bit, but not too much. I don't know if I'll do another ABO story with Matt and Foggy again, so I want to explore a little with this. (mostly because everyone likes to put Matt as an omega, but honestly? He'd totally be an alpha or a beta. I'd say mostly beta, if it wasn't for his devilish tendencies.)

It is the second week of Matt’s internship with the omega lawyer when he gets to meet one of Foggy’s clients.

 

He does his best to great the jumpy omega-homme hovering in the doorway, who seems to shrink away from Matt until he sees the glasses and the cane. The teenage alpha wants to be a little upset at that, but he’s kind of used to the reaction now.

 

“Hi there,” He says kindly, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible because this omega looks about ready to bolt out the door, “My name is Matt, are you here for Mr. Nelson?”

 

Matt plays up his innocent and harmless façade he knows he’s perfectly capable of, and he’ll continue to use it to his advantage.

 

“Y-yes… Jimmy B-Beal, you’re… Mr. Nelson’s new secretary?” The man stutters, his voice nasally and whiney. It’s not a very pleasant sound to Matt’s ears.

 

“Mr. Beal, good afternoon! I see you’ve met my intern, Matt.” Foggy greets in an up-beat voice. Matt doesn’t have to see to know that the man is smiling sunnily at the other omega.

 

He can hear Foggy’s confident strides approach them, and the alpha can’t help but to notice how as the other omega approaches, he seems to calm more and more. Matt is scrutinizing the client’s heartbeat and physiology when he feels a warm presence beside him. Foggy’s standing at a professional distance and telegraphs his movement to Matt when he rests a hand on Matt’s shoulder.

 

Now Matt’s trying not to be distracted by his _own_ heartbeat. It’s only for a moment, though, because then Foggy is talking now.

 

“He’s been totally awesome, helping me with my case files after school.” Then just as soon as the hand was there it’s now gone, leaving Matt a little bereft. As Foggy ushers the jittery omega into his office, Matt straightens his posture and moves to sit down at his desk, tilting his head and honing in on their conversation.

 

Going by the conversation, Mr. Beal’s case has been going on for a few months. Matt listens intently while the omega-homme tells Foggy about how he saw his ex on his way home from the grocery store just about an hour ago, and how he was so afraid that he dropped his bags in his kitchen and then immediately came here.

 

He hears the scratch and slide of wooden legs on laminate floorboards, and from the sound of the cushion and the friction of the rough, woven material on Foggy’s slacks, Matt knows that the omega lawyer is sitting in one of the client chairs, and not his slightly squeaky, faux leather desk chair.

 

Knowing what he already does of the omega, Matt imagines that he sat down directly in front of the other omega, who’s heart had picked up speed dramatically while rushing his story out to the lawyer.

 

“Hey, hey,” Foggy’s voice is gentle and kind. Soothing; and Matt can hear Foggy lean forward to lay a steadying hand on the man’s forearm, “Jimmy, it’ll be okay, alright?”

 

“H-how do you know? Wh-what can I _do?!_ ” The man cries, and his terror is plain to anyone with ears to hear it, and before he can continue, Matt hears Foggy hush him and squeeze the man’s arms a little tighter – grounding – before he relaxes it again.

 

“I’ll take care of it. You and I will go down to the precinct right now – I have a childhood friend who is a very capable officer, and I will get him to increase some patrols in your area.”

 

“H-how will that help?” Jimmy replies, a little breathless. Relieved with Foggy’s reassurance, no doubt, but still skeptical.

 

Matt agrees.

 

“You’re ex has had two run-ins with the law already. Relatively minor offenses, but enough that any self-preserving jack ass would be weary of committing a crime when there’s a possibility of him being caught.” Foggy leans back a little and Matt can hear how the shaky omega’s heart trips once when Foggy removes his hand. “I know it’s not a lot. But it’s enough to discourage him in the meantime, and while we work things out, I can walk home with you and make sure your home is locked up and safe, before I leave for mine.”

 

Matt can hear the client release a shaky breath, heart and breathing calmer than before, but his anxiousness is working its way out through his fidgeting.

 

“I… I can’t remember if he has a key or not, Foggy, and –“

 

“Then after we go to the station, I’ll take you by the hardware store. We’ll change your locks, and we can even get a chain for your door, too. It might even help you if you can stay with a friend for a while, until this all blows over. What about Jasmine?”

 

“No… no… I would, and she’d let me, but she’ll be having her heat with her mate…”

 

The two omegas continue to talk, and Jimmy’s heart calms dramatically with Foggy’s promise of help and reassurances, that eventually fade into more careful and mundane topics.

 

Matt sits in his desk chair a bit stunned.

 

Matt has a feeling that not all lawyers go this far out of their way for clients. Even those who may be in danger – Foggy is _clearly_ going above and beyond what’s professionally expected of him.

 

He’s pondering this, while feeding a few documents into the scanner when he hears something that catches his attention.

 

“So… you have an alpha intern?”

 

There’s silence for a moment, and he hears Foggy straighten up a little in the chair.

 

“I have an intern, who happens to be an alpha – yes. Matt is here as part of the high school’s internship program. He has been very helpful, and it’s been nice having him here this past week and a half.”

 

Matt could hear the instant change in Foggy’s tone of voice. It was still a friendly tone, but a bit more polite, and a lot less familiar – almost defensive. Matt doesn’t need defending, but he feels proud anyways.

 

“Ah… uh…” Jimmy backtracks, obviously feeling embarrassed and a bit off guard. “I… I’m sorry, Foggy. I didn’t mean… it’s just that…”

 

Matt hears the displacement of air as Foggy moves to stand along with Mr. Beale, and waves his hand as if he’s erasing the conversation altogether.

 

“It’s fine, Jimmy.” Foggy opens the door of his office and moves to the side to let the client pass. “Go down and hail a cab. I’ll meet you downstairs and we’ll go to the precinct, okay? Just let me call ahead and have a word with Matt.”

 

The omega nods his head quickly and then he walks quickly out of the office and throws out a polite ‘good bye’ to Matt before he closes the office door behind him. Matt tracks his footfalls and his anxious heartbeat down the hall until he reaches the staircase.

 

“So, Matt.” Foggy claps his hands, and his voice is loud and cheery, “How much did you hear? Do you need me to fill you in before we go to the precinct?”

 

Matt finds himself moving to stand, and then leaning with his arms crossed against his solid, wooden desk.

 

“I heard some, it sounds like he has problems with a clingy ex?”

 

Foggy chuckles, but Matt can hear the wince hiding under it. “Well… I wouldn’t say ‘clingy’, but… Simon kind of really enjoys posturing, and takes pleasure in scaring poor Jimmy. We can call him many things, but the bottom line is that Simon is a grade-A bully; not the play-ground kind, either. This guy basically backed Beale into a corner to the point that Jimmy didn’t feel safe at work, where they met.” His tone grows more serious and firm as he goes, “Jimmy had gone to H.R. and filed a complaint. He even collected witness testimonies for some of the incidences, but the beta-homme was a friend of the alpha’s apparently, and it was all swept under the rug, and it was _Jimmy_ who ended up reprimanded.”

 

Matt feels his own face pinch at the news. He hears this happen too often, and it’s not _right_.

 

“So he’s filing a restraining order against him?” It’s more of a statement than a question, because that’s the logical line of progression, Matt thinks.

 

“No… but I may add that into his case if it’s needed. Jimmy came to me with strong persuasion and recommendation from his friend and a past client of mine – We have a court date next month against his previous company.”

 

“Previous?”

 

Foggy scoffs, and sounds a little angry, “Yea. Bastard and his ‘friends’ made Jimmy feel so uncomfortable and unsafe at work… and when going to H.R. didn’t help, he felt that he had to quit.” It sounds like he wants to go on, but Matt can hear him turn his head to look in the direction of the wall clock.

 

“The cab should be here by now.”

 

It has been here for two minutes, but Matt wasn’t going to stop Foggy from talking.

 

“Okay. Do you want me to stay here –“

 

“No, Matt… I mean, unless you don’t want to. Or can’t – it’s fine. I actually stayed behind to ask if you wanted to come along?”

 

Of course Matt wants to come. But the tentative and nervous hopefulness in the older man’s voice just made him that much more enthusiastic.

 

He’s nodding his head before his mouth even moves to make a response.

 

“Yes. Absolutely.” Matt is fighting a blush, cursing his stupid mouth and his obvious eagerness and the way this man makes him feel so unbalanced.

 

Matt wishes he could better sense people’s expressions, because he thinks Foggy would have a fetching smile.

 

But maybe it’s kind of a good thing. Matt can hear the grin in the omega lawyer’s voice as he babbles at Matt while they lock up the office, and he’s already feeling warm all over.

 

If he could actually _see_ it, he’d be done for.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Foggy was glad Matt wanted to come along, and couldn’t help the cheerful babble that came out as he walked alongside the young alpha down the hall and out of the building. They both meet Jimmy on the curb where a disgruntled taxi driver honked impatiently.

 

Jimmy’s wringing his hands a little nervously by the cab, standing there with the door open and waiting.

 

So Foggy easily takes the lead, ushering the older omega into the taxi before following him. Matt is the last one in, and he closes the door after folding up his cane.

 

“So, Jimmy,” he starts easily, “I filled Matt in on what we are doing right now, but it is up to you if you want to share any further details once we are at the precinct.”

 

It’s a lie of omission, sort of. Technically he was supposed to ask his client’s permission before divulging details about his case, but Foggy can claim that the lines are a bit blurred, because Matt _is_ technically working for him.

 

“How… how do you think this will affect my case?” His client timidly acts, and Foggy turns towards him a little and when their shoulders brush slightly he notices a slight blush bloom over his nose. Foggy raises his eyebrows a little, but chalking it up to his client being nervous. It was, after all, a very uncomfortable and disturbing situation for him.

 

“Actually, Jimmy, I think it may actually _help_.” Foggy feels the omega pull back a little and look at him, but Matt pulls his attention away.

 

“What do you mean?” He asks curiously, and Foggy turns his head and sees the open look of curiosity on his face and he feels his spine straighten. It’s a little childish of him, but Foggy can’t help but want to impress his intern.

 

A grin breaks out on his face and he settles a little more into his seat, facing forward so he’s not excluding either of them in the conversation.

 

“Well, by openly stalking you,” Foggy pats the older omega’s knee twice in a futile gesture to calm him, “Simon’s only proving our claims against him, and by extension, the company) to be legitimate.” He starts off, and he tries to hold back the excitement at the rush he gets when he’s lawyering like a _boss_.

 

“Even if he argues against it, like he did to your company’s H.R. department, it’s _enough_ to cast doubt. Sometimes that is all it takes for these corporations and businesses to settle out of court.” Foggy takes a breath to continue, but he hears a gentle intake of breath to his right and he turns to Matt.

 

“They wouldn’t want to risk their reputation… because if it goes to court, it can get in the papers.” The young alpha’s voice is a little awed as he works it out, and Foggy wonders if Matt even _notices_ that he sounds impressed.

 

“That’s… I guess that _does_ make sense…” Jimmy mutters, and Foggy hardly noticed he had almost turned his back on the guy.

 

Foggy is beaming. “That’s right! Way to catch on, Matt!” He can’t help himself, especially when the alpha makes such a dorky face when he’s trying not to smile. Alphas love praise and reassurance, and it appears that Matt is no different.

 

“So, Jimmy, we can use this to our advantage, but our number one priority is to make sure you are safe, okay?” Foggy tells him, making sure his tone is reassuring as well as confident.

 

They arrive at the precinct, and after Foggy pays the cabby, he joins Matt and Jimmy on the sidewalk. Together, they walk into the precinct and as they work their way through the metal detectors, Matt grips on to Foggy’s sleeve when they take his cane to run it through the conveyor belt.

 

“Here, Matt.” Foggy gently moves the young man’s hand to the crook of his elbow, and after they walk through the scanners, Matt keeps his cane folded and readjusts his grip on his arm. Foggy can’t help but notice Jimmy’s odd reaction to his contact with Matt, though he doesn’t know what he could be angry or concerned about.

 

Foggy leads them to Brett’s cubicle, and starts a running commentary the officers around them.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Breeeeett!” Foggy sings, bright and cheery. Familiar. So this must be his police ‘friend’.

 

Matt thinks it in quotations, because thanks to the desk fan, Matt can clearly hear the frown on the man’s face.

 

“Guess who I brought?” The cheery lawyer continues beside him, and he hears the man scoff (probably rolling his eyes, depending on his level of professionalism).

 

“What do you want, Nelson?” The man sighs. Clearly annoyed. Now they are standing at the man’s cubicle, and at his mentor’s amused chirping, the officer turns in his chair to face them.

 

“Always so _grumpy,_ Brett.” He tsks, “Just because Nana likes be best.” Matt raises his eyebrows in surprise. So Nelson is familiar with this beta-homme, enough that he knows his grandmother? Interesting.

 

Brett scoffs. “Only because you bribe her with cigars and cookies.” He pauses and Matt gets the impression that he’s checking out the omega lawyer, based on the motion of his head and the slight uptick of his heart. Not enough for it to be attraction, but he definitely appraised him. Though the frown is… difficult for Matt to place.

 

Then he feels a set of eyes scrutinize him and he can’t help but to stand a bit straighter.

 

“You going to introduce me to the blind kid on your arm, Nelson?” He snips and, wow; not much tact from this guy. Matt wonders if his nose is throwing him off, because the general hostility and grumpiness of the man in front of him is more like an alpha than the general passivity of most betas.

 

“Of course, grumpy pants.” He chides easily, and Matt’s wondering if he needs to get between him and the officer, because he gets the impression that he wants to strangle his mentor.

 

“But first, I need to ask – you remember Jimmy Beale? From high school?” Foggy’s tone is still upbeat and friendly, but no longer has that teasing or antagonizing edge.

 

As Foggy moves a little to the side, the officer now notices the shorter omega male who is no longer able to hide behind Foggy.

 

“H-hey Brett.” He greets, “Didn’t know you became a cop.” It’s a statement, and more confident than he had been earlier that afternoon – which is a little surprising to Matt, because Brett’s openly aggressive, despite not being an alpha.

 

“Hey, Jim. How was NYU?” The officer asks… not necessarily _kindly_ , but rather a dispassionate attempt to be friendly, which for whatever reason seems to amuse Foggy, because thanks to the A.C. and the desk fans, Matt can pick up hints of the grin that hasn’t left his face.

 

“I-it was fine. Wasn’t really for me, though. So I had dropped out.”

 

“Sorry to hear that.” His tone is flat and almost makes Matt wince, but it still seems to amuse Foggy.

 

“Oh, Brett. Always the conversationalist.” He teases, and Matt’s a little surprised when he hears Jimmy huff a nervous laugh and sort of tilt towards Foggy a bit.

 

“Anyways, Brett. This is Matt, my intern.” Foggy seems happy to introduce Matt to his… friend, and Matt smiles politely to the beta-homme officer.

 

“Nice to meet you, officer…” Matt wants to kick himself for his awkward trailing off, because he realizes that the man never _actually_ introduced himself, and the teenager had more self-preservation than to call the man _Brett_.

 

“Mahoney.” He grunts and the officer says nothing more on the subject other than to impatiently ask, “Not that this isn’t a happy reunion,” he drawls sarcastically, “but I’m assuming there’s something you need from me?”

 

“Always the sweet-talker, Brett.”

 

“Nelson…”

 

Foggy waves his hand, “Yea, yea…” Then he drops his tone and is a bit more serious, “Jimmy’s in a bit of trouble. An ex of his has made threats and just today, he was spotted following Jimmy home.”

 

Matt wishes he could get a better read on their expressions, because the officer and lawyer seem to have a wordless conversation before the officer rises to stand.

 

“I’ll grab the necessary paperwork, and meet you and Beale in Interrogation Room three.” He says nothing more as he confidently walks off somewhere, presumably to get that paperwork.

 

Foggy tosses his head down the hall, gesturing for Jimmy to follow, and he tugs Matt along with him. They are approaching the door when Beale speaks up.

 

“Are you sure Brett can help us?” Jimmy asks hesitantly and Foggy holds open the door.

 

“Of course. You know how good of a guy Brett is. He’s always been grumpy.” His voice is joking and familiar, and Matt can’t help but feel a little left out. The three obviously have known each other for a long time, even if they aren’t close. Matt idly wonders what kind of teenager Foggy was.

 

Jimmy huffs a laugh and moves to take a seat. “Yea, I guess you’d know.” It’s a little cryptic, and Matt wishes _he_ knew, but Foggy cuts in. “Yea, I would.”

 

Foggy leads Matt to a chair and he moves to sit down. He notices that there’s only one other seat in here, and is about to protest and offer to stand, but he can’t (for obvious reasons), so he tentatively sits down.

 

“Okay, Matt. I’m gunna go get another chair, can you wait with Mr. Beale? Keep him company?” There’s a bit of hesitance in his voice, so Matt smiles charmingly in his direction and replies.

 

“I’d be happy to, Mr. Nelson.” Matt tries not to grin when he hears the catch of a laugh in the omega’s throat.

 

“Alright, I’ll be back.” With that he’s walking out and closing the door but not clicking it shut.

 

He and the client are silent for a few moments before Matt decides to try and make conversation. It’s obvious now, that Jimmy has known Foggy for some time, so he thinks it’s be beneficial to him to converse with the jumpy omega man.

 

“So, Mr. Beale?” Matt winces at the fake uncertainty in his voice. Maybe he’s laying on the ‘harmless alpha’ act a little thick. But when the man only twitches before releasing a breath, he counts it as a win regardless, “You’ve known Mr. Nelson and Officer Mahoney for awhile?”

 

The omega man beside him shifts a little uncomfortably in his seat, like all he wants to do is pretend that the teenage alpha isn’t there, but his tone was sweet and as harmless as he could make it, and the blindness helped.

 

“Yea… I was a bit older than them. A senior when they were sophomores. Um…” Jimmy trails off and Matt can hear him turn slightly in his seat, looking at him before continuing.

 

“I was… being bullied. Foggy and Brett came and stopped it. After that, I’d join them for lunch at school some times. We weren’t really friends, but they were good guys – even if Brett can be kinda scary, sometimes.”

 

Matt can sense the man beside him blushing hard, and he makes a sound of understanding and sympathy before they fall silent again. He’s thankful, because otherwise he wouldn’t have been paying attention to the conversation going on down the hall.

 

“So what’s really goin’ on, Frankie. This isn’t related to –“

 

“No. It’s not. This ex of his works… well, _worked_ with him. He harassed Jim to the point he felt that he had to quit because he didn’t feel safe at work anymore.”

 

Brett snorts, and they continue down the hall towards the room. “A little dramatic, don’t you think? Jim’s always been kinda jumpy.” Matt could hear long hair brush against material as Foggy shakes his head in denial half-way through the beta’s sentence. “No. I investigated. He went to H.R., and he even had a few testimonies from coworkers, but the department didn’t do anything about it, instead they accused Jimmy of being vindictive and fabricating his story.”

 

The beta growls quietly and Matt hears Foggy nod. “Yea.”

 

“I think they used to date, you know?” Matt visibly jolts out of his trance and quickly recenters as Jimmy continues. “At least it seemed like they did, in high school.”

 

To say Matt felt like the rug was ripped out from under him would be an understatement.

 

“What do you -” He’s harshly interrupted as the officer slams open the door and marches inside. Foggy apologizes to him and Jimmy, and then closes the door.

 

Matt notices he doesn’t have a chair with him. Then he walks around to stand behind both matt and Jimmy, his warm palms gripping the back of their chairs as he leans a little forward. Not enough to be invasive, but enough to calm.

 

But Matt doesn’t _feel_ calm.

 

He spends the rest of the hour dissecting every word and gesture exchanged between his – mentor. Between his _mentor_ who just _happens_ to be an omega, and the gruff beta-homme in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a while! I am sorry, I know I promised this chapter update last Sunday - But before I posted, I decided I wanted to set something up a little differently, so I had to re-write two scenes (it took me like, five times). I completely reconstructed the story-line I was originally going to go with, but this one I've settled on I think is much better (and will be more realistic).
> 
> Here, Foggy knows of Karen before she's thrown in jail. So this is a canon divergence. As are many other things in this story (obviously), but I will always try to keep as many elements from the original universe in here as possible. So there will be Fisk and Union Allied - etc. 
> 
> I have made Foggy a pretty dynamic character in this story - I'm excited to show you guys what I have planned as his motivations... 
> 
> Now, enjoy! It's my birthday tomorrow, and I will be leaving in less than a week for a family reunion (I'll be gone from my comp for a week) - but I've put some of my stuff in a google drive so... if I am alone and awake at any time and I can't sleep... I'll try to write!
> 
> Love you all, and thank you for all your support and reviews! <3

 

 

Foggy couldn’t help but to notice how tense Matt had seemed during their interview with Brett. He’s hoping that nothing bad happened while he was  _ supposed _ to be grabbing a chair (he kinda got side-tracked pestering Officer Thompson, the guy was a  _ riot _ ), but the omega lawyer can’t imagine what could  _ possibly  _ transpire between his client and his intern that would garner such a reaction from the young alpha.

 

Outside of the weird feeling in the room, Foggy’s keen eye noticed how his old frenemy keeps glancing at him. He’ll have to give him shit about that later. 

 

He’s not stupid or clueless, no matter  _ what _ Brett Mahoney seems to think. 

 

“So! Looks like we are done here, Brett! Thanks for your help!” Foggy makes sure to give his oldest friend his best, shit-eating grin, because it never fails to irritate the snappish beta.

 

“Wipe that grin off your face, Nelson.” He bites back, but there’s a lack of heat to it, which sorta kills Foggy’s excitement, because that means his friend’s attention is on something else.

 

No matter. He’ll bug him about it relentlessly later.

 

Or visit nana. 

 

Whichever will promise him better results. 

 

“Well, looks like  _ someone _ needs a coffee refill.” He teases with a smirk, because he can’t  _ not _ . 

 

“Yea, and you’re coming with me to the breakroom. I have those files for that other case you’ve been working.”

 

Foggy backs away from where he’s standing behind Matt to allow the teen to stand, with a quick glance at Matt, he notices that he’s  _ trying _ not to seem interested in his conversation with Brett - but Matt’s got the weird little brow-furrow-y thing going on his stupidly handsome and adorable face.

 

He wonders what the teen’s trying to figure out, but now isn’t the time to think on it.

 

“A’ight bossy-pants. I’ll be back there after showing Jim and Matt to the waiting room.” Matt does a little half-turn in his direction, now giving him a… weird face. If he could see Matt’s eyes, he’d probably read the teen a little better, but right now, Foggy sees the small frown on his intern.

 

Foggy knows he really has nothing to be sorry about, but that  _ look _ .

 

Brett just grunts in affirmation, nodding a good-bye towards Jimmy before fleeing. 

 

“Geeze, what a grump.”

 

“I heard that, Nelson!”

 

“Good!”

 

That quick exchange makes Beale laugh, and Foggy breaks out into a grin. “Alright guys,” He announces as he starts to lead them out to the waiting area, “I’m sorry to make you wait, but I promise I won’t take too long - I’d come back if -” 

 

A squeeze to his arm interrupts him of his apologetic ranting, he looks to Matt at his left and sees a small, slightly amused smile on his face. “It’s okay, Foggy. We’ll be fine waiting here. Take your time.”

 

Foggy sweeps his eyes quickly over his intern’s face after he takes a seat. There’s something a little forced to the alpha’s look, but his posture is relaxed and his smile is genuine… but there’s a little bit of mischievousness in it. His smile is a little  _ too _ innocent.

 

Matt’s up to something. 

 

He quickly makes eye-contact with Beale, because the omega doesn’t need to see him eyeing his  _ blind _ intern suspiciously. It’ll only make him nervous or have him draw very wrong conclusions.

 

“‘Kay, I’ll see you two in a bit.”

 

With that awkwardness over with, he quickly makes his way back to the break room.

 

* * *

 

 

Matt doesn’t bother starting up a conversation with Foggy’s client again - while his mentor was walking them over here, his mind was running a mile-a-minute. This was a chance to eavesdrop on his new friend-and-mentor while conversing in private with an old friend - or even a possible  _ ex _ .

 

He doesn’t know why that bothers him. Of course the omega lawyer would have exes. Hell, _Matt_ has two exes already… more than that, if you consider _every_ _date_ he’s been on.

 

The young alpha winces when he thinks about how he’ll have to confess to the temptation of eavesdropping - again. He unconsciously straightens in the plastic chair when he hears Foggy greet Officer Mahoney again.

 

“Okay, Brett. Whatcha got for me?” Foggy’s tone is carefully nonchalant - as if he’s trying not to come off serious or anticipatory. Matt strains his ears to get more. There are a lot of noises in the precinct, and some of the rooms are nearly sound-proof (to Matt), so getting details from a distance is a little trying - but he’s able to hear the beta-homme sigh heavily, and then a slight crinkling of… paper? 

 

There’s a pause, before - “Is there another reason you wanted me alone other than to shove a file of papers at my chest?” Foggy’s tone is wry and a little skeptical.

 

“I wanted to make sure you’re doing okay.” There’s a long moment of silence, and for a second, Matt’s sure he lost the conversation in the office bustling.

 

“Um… okay?” Foggy’s tone is equal parts suspicious and confused, “I’ve been doing pretty good, actually. You aren’t one for small talk… is this because I didn’t make our plans the other week?”

 

The beta scoffs, “I’m not a teenage  _ girl _ , Frankie - I don’t care. Just want to remind you not to get in over your head, and take on more than you can handle.” Brett taps the papers pointedly.

 

“I don’t understand your concern, Brett. But I’m fine…” 

 

Matt continues to listen to them talk for another two minutes, before reaffirming ‘plans’ for the weekend - Foggy apologizing for skipping out on Brett a few weeks ago, and the beta officer growling at the lawyer that he’s ‘not a girl, Nelson’. 

 

He tries not to slouch much in his seat, because Matt’s been tracking Foggy’s heartbeat the entire conversation, and it doesn’t rise in interest even  _ once _ . So if the beta and his mentor  _ did _ date - the flame is gone now.

 

Right?

 

Matt’s fear is completely erased when Beale brings it up to Foggy during their cab ride back. The omega  _ laughs _ and  _ laughs _ before shaking his head and telling them -

 

“We couldn’t even last one week of summer camp together - by the end of the trip, we vowed to hate each other for the rest of forever, and we didn’t say one word to each other for almost a  _ year _ .”

 

Which…  _ wow _ .

 

“That’s commitment.”

 

His heart does a little skip, and his stomach backflips happily at the fit of giggles erupting from the omegas (though he only cares about  _ one _ omega in particular).

  
  
  


* * *

 

  
  


Matt’s leg jiggles anxiously under his desk during his Spanish class as he listens to the seconds and the minutes pass by on the clock above the door. Foggy had to reschedule his internship hours for Wednesday, and it was now Friday.

 

It’s been days since he’s seen the omega lawyer, and he can’t wait for this class to be  _ over already _ .

 

Matt’s  _ also _ steadfastly ignoring the annoyed huffing of a classmate to the right of him, who’s apparently put off by his anxious twitching, but he couldn’t care less. The irritated omega is  _ constantly _ smacking on gum every class, and it’s a gross sound that never fails to make Matt twitch in disgust as it echoes through his senses.

 

Anyways, he’s counting down the seconds until he can leave and start making his way over to his internship. Foggy told him he’d take Matt out to dinner afterwards, to apologize for not being in the office on Wednesday.

 

Come to think of it, Matt  _ had _ noticed how distracted he had been when on the phone. The omega had sounded rushed and agitated - almost  _ angry _ . 

 

He had nearly bit through his chapped lip, resisting the urge to prod his mentor further... though he  _ did _ feel a hum of satisfaction when Foggy softened his voice at the end, after Matt told him to have a good day and to call him if he needed anything.

 

Of course, Matt  _ knows _ that he would probably be one of the  _ last _ people the omega would call for something important… but he had felt the overwhelming need to make sure Foggy knew, anyways.

 

It was worth the small, embarrassed blush that crept over his nose and cheeks when he heard the omega stop whatever he was doing, and with a sweet, sweet voice, he thanked Matt before hanging up.

 

Even days later, when he replays the conversation in his head, Matt feels warm and happy. That night, he had replayed those words and his voice over and over in his head before falling asleep with a blissful smile on his face.

 

Yesterday, he bounced between being appalled at his besotted reactions and not giving a flying fuck - because not only does Matt finally have someone who actually  _ cares _ about him, but who is also amazingly perfect and everything Matt didn’t think he wanted, but now  _ needs _ .

 

Foggy packs extra food in his lunch, just for Matt - after the omega heard his stomach growling one afternoon. Foggy asks and  _ cares _ about whether or not he had a good day at school, he asks Matt for his opinion on some of his cases - like Matt’s his employee and not a high school intern...

 

The time he gets to spend one-on-one with the older man when they are just talking about movies, politics, and even stupid things - like debating which poptart flavor is Thor’s favorite, and speculating whether or not Hawkeye  _ actually _ sleeps in a nest (Foggy had some pretty funny answers) - those moments of easy conversation and laughter have been the best part of Matt’s day since he met the older man. 

 

He can’t believe that it was by mere  _ chance _ they had met in the first place. How a brief conversation in his favorite coffee shop had landed him meeting this wonderful, beautiful, sweet and sassy omega-homme.

 

Matt shudders in horror just thinking about it.

 

Or… maybe it was the icy glare he couldn’t see coming off of his looming Spanish teacher?

 

“Est á s bien, Se ñ or Murdock?”

 

Matt jerks back in his seat and his long knees hit hard under his desk, sending his braille pencil clattering to the floor. He feels his face heat in mortification at hearing some of the other students in his class snickering at his misfortune.

 

He straightens himself in his chair trying to gather his composure. By the sternness of Se ñ ora Reyes’ voice, she isn’t amused in the slightest. Instead of waiting for a response however, Matt hears her stiletto heels move away from him, through the rows of desks towards the chalkboard to continue the lesson.

 

Thankfully five minutes later, Matt is finally making his way out of class, studiously ignoring his classmates’ comments.

 

Matt walks briskly through the throngs of students in the hallway, keeping to the sides to avoid any possible delay in getting the hell out of school. When he reaches the wall his locker is on, he carefully runs his fingers over each locker as he passes, counting until he reaches locker number ‘89’. 

 

Even with all his senses, Matt still can’t find his locker without counting each by touch. Normally, he’d just sniff it out and  _ then _ grope the area until he felt his combination lock - but the stench of old sandwiches, rotten gym clothes and moldy textbooks overpowers whatever ‘scent’ he’d otherwise be able to pick up.

 

It doesn’t help that high school is a cesspool of  _ hormones,  _ too. 

 

Even though all alphas in the high school are required to take an olfactory suppressant, (and omegas take pheromone suppressants on the days leading up to their heat) - Matt can smell them all. The potency of the pills are too low to alter his sense of smell down to the level of an alpha male on suppressants, but it  _ does  _ temper his sensitivity to scents overall (he thanks the lord for the small respite, honestly). 

 

He can still clearly distinguish a person’s mood by scent pretty easily - despite what strength of medications they may be on - though some people’s pheromones are stronger or more recognizable than others.

 

It’s actually something he finds a little curious - because the omega-homme he’s currently trying not to think about obsessively (because it’s kinda getting a bit worrying, for Matt) doesn’t claw at his senses like most other omegas do. He can smell that the man takes pretty heavy suppressants - probably because Foggy does not have a mate, or because of his job. 

 

His mind now back on the omega-homme, Matt entertains himself with thoughts of dinner with Foggy, wondering if he could persuade the lawyer to take him to Wei’s,  _ just _ so he can tease the older man as he fumbles with his chopsticks (maybe Matt can lean over and offer to help the omega to hold them properly, maybe hear his heart skip). 

 

He pictures Foggy cursing beneath his breath, then sniffing indignantly when Matt chides him for it, blushing warm so Matt can feel the heat radiating from his skin as he leans over to help -  

 

Matt’s so far in his head, that he nearly misses his stop.

 

As he attempts to tone down his enthusiasm (it won’t do to come in looking crazy - totally unprofessional). Matt practices schooling his face into the suave smirk that usually gets the omega’s heart to trip, and he’s through the front doors and moving into the elevator when he catches Foggy on the phone.

 

“... are you  _ sure _ , Karen? That’s a huge deal - if we’re wrong.” Matt hears Foggy suck in a breath before letting it out quickly, “No, no. I believe you. You wouldn’t lie about something like this.” 

 

The elevator dings, indicating he’s at the third floor. The groaning of the appliance as it screeches to a stop covers up whatever Foggy says next, but as soon as Matt’s out and making his way down the hall, he’s tuning in again (he’ll need to confess to Father Lantom about his eavesdropping habits - again). 

 

“Look. Just please, be careful. Don’t go snooping around through files - just keep your eyes and ears open for now. We need to be careful, or -” Matt hears a light, beeping sound. “Crap. Matt’s gunna be in soon, and I’ve gotta set up a project for him.”

 

A heavy sigh. “Yea. Please tell him, too. This might be a bigger problem than we first thought, we need to go about this the right way. Okay - okay, yea. You too. Bye.”

 

Matt’s hand is on the doorknob, ready to enter, when he hears his mentor sigh. He frowns. Foggy sounds a little tired, maybe a little stressed out. Matt’s running a few scenarios in his head how to go about comforting his omega mentor, without being too obvious about it. 

 

“Hey, Matt! I was wonderin’ when you’d get here, bus trouble?”

 

Any residual tension just  _ melts _ off Matt at the happy, bouncing voice of the older omega male.

 

The next two hours are spent with Foggy talking Matt through how to search for certain key terms and phrases on the documents he had scanned for the intern to review. The instruction only took so long, because Foggy relentlessly teased Matt whenever he clicked the wrong key combinations, and then he laughed for about ten minutes straight when the teenager sneezed, jerking his hand on the mouse and losing his place on the fifty-seven page document.

 

Matt had cursed, blushed, and growled in frustration - which was what threw the older man into a cheerful fit of giggles. Once his initial embarrassment and anger faded, he couldn’t help but grin, and joke with his mentor about teasing a blind kid.

 

It’s some of the most fun he’s had in years.

 

* * *

 

 

After he and Matt brought themselves out of their giggle-fit and caught their breath, both were able to finish the rest of their tasks in only an hour. 

 

Well, his  _ alpha-intern _ was done with  _ his _ work, but Foggy found it hard to concentrate - good moods shouldn’t be wasted on boring cases and filing.

 

“Okay, Matt!” Foggy claps his hands when he reaches the door to his office, and he sucks in a breath at the expectant smile on the younger man’s face before continuing. 

 

“We have two options,” he holds up one finger, “number one, we can go out to eat, a place of your choice,” Matt raises an amused brow over his tinted glasses and Foggy feels like a part of him squeals at the cuteness (seriously, something’s  super wrong with his moods lately, jesus) - “Or option numero two!” He raises another finger.

 

Foggy  _ sees _ the cocky smirk before it slides across Matt’s face.

 

“Dos.”

 

“Shut up.” He shoots right back, not missing a beat, and pretending to ignore the amused look on the stupidly adorable Matt. “Second, we can order in, and we can watch Star Trek on my laptop!”

 

“... really?” Foggy has to pause for a moment, because the young alpha sounds both disbelieving and…  _ hopeful? _

 

It just squeezes his squishy omega heart, but Foggy pushes forward because Matt would  _ not _ appreciate a hug or sympathetic, omega-hormone-induced cuddles right now.

 

“Yes. I’ve heard that most places have delivery.” He smirks at the little scrunch to the alpha’s nose.

 

“I meant the Star Trek marathon.”

 

“Ah! Well, after our geeky conversation last week about various science fiction, I came to the conclusion that you need to be better educated in just  _ why _ TOS is the  _ best _ Star Trek series  _ ever _ .”

 

“Next Gen, all the way.” Matt smirks, but Foggy’s omega-senses (and people-reading senses), still pick up a hint of melancholy from the kid, and that just won’t do for him.

 

“You’ve never  _ seen _ The Original Series!” He protests vehemently, and though he’s extremely spirited about this, Foggy’s also watching Matt’s reactions with a keen eye. “I’m your mentor for this ‘internship class’, right? Here’s a lesson.” He steps up to the alpha and straightens his stance, imitating a bossy teacher.

 

“You can’t expect to go into a debate and  _ win _ without knowing your opponent’s argument.  _ And _ , you can’t say  _ ‘Next Gen is the best -’ _ ” Foggy finger quotes the last words, and his voice does his best to imitate a sobby teenager.

 

“I don’t sound like that.” Matt protests.

 

“Yes you do. Don’t lie. -  _ Anyways, _ ” He nearly shouts the last word, purposefully cutting Matt off before he can argue (god, the affronted pout on his face at that is  _ adorable _ ). It’s such a grade-school way of dealing with things, but Foggy’s not above using  _ all _ tactics in his arsenal. Some of his best arguing skills came from his teenage rebel years (and fighting with Brett). 

 

“You can’t say that something’s better, when you haven’t seen them all! It makes your argument baseless, and you’ll lose.” Foggy huffs a breath when he’s finished, and leans back a little with his arms crossed over his chest to wait for the teen to respond.

 

“To be fair…” Matt says slowly, and Foggy thinks he’s trying too hard to keep a deadpan expression (it makes him look constipated, actually) - the omega’s eyes narrow in suspicion when he catches the teen’s lip twitch. 

 

“...I didn’t  _ see  _ The Next Generation series, either.”

 

… What a cheeky bastard.

 

“You’re a cheeky shit, aren’t you?” Foggy scowls at the alpha’s amused smirk so he continues, “Just so you know, I’m scowling at you.”

 

“I see.”

 

“No, you don’t. That’s why I’m telling you.”

 

Foggy can’t hold his annoyed scowl any longer at the joyful grin that lights up the young man’s face.

 

“Dammit. Don’t smile like that. I’m mad at you.” He tries to sound angry, but ends up fighting a laugh at his late sentence, and the cocky alpha looks very pleased with himself.

 

Matt raises an eyebrow and leans back in his chair, the smirk still on his face.

 

At least he doesn’t look like a wounded puppy anymore. Seriously. Not one should look adorable  _ and _ sexy-as-all-hell (he is  _ so _ going to hell) - regardless of how naturally handsome and charismatic they are.

 

“Yes. And just for sassing your mentor, you no longer have a choice! We will order in, and I have veto rights on foods I do not like,  _ and _ there will be no audio-commentary for you! I was trying to be  _ nice _ , and give you the opportunity to experience Star Trek’s  _ original _ series - instead, you’ll have to suffer through my obnoxious voice.” Foggy finishes dramatically and in a rush, making as many erratic gesturing as he can, because sometimes he just has too much energy and no way to let it out.

 

The alpha’s grin starts to melt into something a little softer, but it’s still amused. “That honestly doesn’t sound that bad.” Matt shifts forward in his chair a little, no longer leaning back like a self-confident jerk.

 

“Says  _ you. _ ” Foggy huffs petulantly, “You’ll have no idea if I’m making it up or not, so you’ll have to just hope I change my mind after I’ve had some food, and decide to take pity on you.”

 

Matt’s indulgent smile makes his stomach flip with indecision - he doesn’t know whether he should feel patronized or pleased at the adoringly exasperated and fond look that the handsome alpha tilts in his direction. Matt had taken off his glasses while he was talking, so now Foggy can see his soft, brown eyes.

 

“Okay Foggy.” 

 

The omega’s heart skips a beat, because something about the way Matt said his name made butterflies flutter in his stomach…

 

He’d rather have Thai in there (it’s safer, for many reasons), so he takes two steps back and whirls dramatically - “Okay then! Because you have upset me,  _ you _ get to call in the order. I’ll go through my downloaded episodes and pick the worst one to torture you with.”

 

“Yes, Foggy.”

  
Foggy retreats to the safety of his office to grab his laptop,  _ not _ to hide the blush slowly spreading on his face at the stupid, dopey, puppy-smile Matt gave him when he thrust the cordless phone at the alpha’s chest.


End file.
